One hundred fifty firefighters responded to that deadly fire in Boston — an ominous number as 153 firefighters is what Mayor Will Flanagan is proposing to staff our entire fire department in Fall River. (For perspective, we operated with 232 in 2007.) This may result in just 25 firefighters providing daily all-hazards emergency response in Fall River and doing the work that 40 firefighters currently perform.

On March 26, the Boston Fire Department responded to a basement fire that quickly engulfed the four-story structure. The wind-driven fire grew so fast and intensely that the fully staffed BFD became overwhelmed and struck nine alarms, their largest response. Tragically, the fire claimed the lives of Lt. Edward J. Walsh, father of three, and Firefighter Michael R. Kennedy, a combat Marine.

Whenever firefighters die in the line of duty, I dread listening to the radio transmissions from the incident, but I do so out of responsibility to my fellow firefighters, their families, and to my family and myself. These transmissions often include last words to loved ones in terrifying conditions: They’re lost, running out of air with zero visibility or being overcome by fire with no defense, and always in their last moments of life. It is the most heart-wrenching audio one can ever listen to. But I listen. And I make fellow firefighters listen as well. Although haunting, we learn from it and it makes us better firefighters.

In 11 years, as a Fall River firefighter, I’ve responded to some horrific incidents and part of me has grown accustomed to many of the tragic calls we respond to. Repetition will do that. One thing I can never fully detach from however, are those transmissions and the horror these brave, fallen firefighters experienced in their final moments, the Boston transmissions being no exception. The sight of the crying family members at the funerals, especially the children, never really leaves me either.

One hundred fifty firefighters responded to that deadly fire in Boston — an ominous number as 153 firefighters is what Mayor Will Flanagan is proposing to staff our entire fire department in Fall River. (For perspective, we operated with 232 in 2007.) This may result in just 25 firefighters providing daily all-hazards emergency response in Fall River and doing the work that 40 firefighters currently perform.

With all the talk of the legitimate consequences of the proposed layoffs — slower response times, reduced fire protection, placing the public’s safety at risk — one dynamic that rarely gets mentioned is what that 153 number means for the actual firefighters. The 60 firefighters cut will be our youngest members. The average age of the department will skyrocket to the upper-40s from the mid-30s. On this job, age matters, as the act of firefighting is extremely labor-intensive and the older you are, the harder it becomes.

The fire service is set up in a way where younger firefighters work in roles that require exceptional strength, endurance, and durability. With layoffs, the firefighters filling those roles will be in their late 40s and above. I often equate it to sports: You don’t see many athletes in their late 40s competing with athletes in their 20s or 30s. Bodies break down with time and are no longer capable of performing as they once did. The fire service is no different.

Page 2 of 2 - These firefighters will be at greater risk for serious injury and death. It’s no coincidence that the leading cause of firefighter fireground deaths is by heart attack, often older firefighters pushing themselves to perform physically demanding work their bodies are no longer capable of doing.

In response to this, I often hear “so lay off the old guys.” The system is not set up that way because experience matters too. The centuries-old, proven system is designed to have a balance of the young and durable working with the knowledgeable and experienced. These layoffs will destroy that balance and place firefighters at great risk.

In my relatively short time as a firefighter, I’ve been to too many line-of-duty death funerals. After each one, I say a prayer asking that these funerals be over. Those prayers have yet to be answered. Nonetheless, I repeated my prayers at the Boston funerals.

There’s an old adage in the fire service that “everyone goes home.” I not only expect my brothers of the FRFD to go home to their families after every tour, I demand it. I don’t ever want to listen to transmissions of an FRFD fireground death, nor do I want to attend a funeral for an FRFD member killed on duty because perilous staffing levels jeopardized firefighter safety.

I sincerely hope the mayor and the entire city council share my sentiments and are fully aware of the broad spectrum of negative consequences these reckless cuts bring. So far I’m not close to being convinced.